Ed Gillespie became Counselor to the President on June 26, 2007, succeeding long-time aide Dan Bartlett.

Prior to taking this position, Mr. Gillespie had served President Bush in various roles. In 2005, he was a key White House advisor in the Senate confirmation processes of Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito.

President Bush asked Mr. Gillespie to serve as Chairman of the Republican National Committee in the 2004 election cycle. Before coming to the White House in 2007, he was serving as elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

Mr. Gillespie was a Capitol Hill aide for 13 years. From 1985 to 1996, Mr. Gillespie was a top aide to former U.S. Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX), who in 1995 became the first Republican House Majority Leader in 40 years. Prior to that he worked for former U.S. Rep. Andy Ireland (R-FL). He began his tenure on Capitol Hill as a Senate Parking lot attendant.

Mr. Gillespie was a co-founder of the public affairs firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates, and author of Winning Right: Campaign Politics and Conservative Policies, published in 2006.

A graduate of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Mr. Gillespie is married to the former Cathy Hay. They live in Fairfax County near historic Mount Vernon with their three children.